West Wilmer lost one of its angels ten years ago. One fateful night, teenager Phoebe Dean left a party never to be seen again alive. Suffocating under their grief and regret, her family has fractured and only continued living in theory. Her brother, Grant, in particular, has never been the same since he stood beside his sister’s broken body on the bridge all those years ago. A horrendous car crash that claimed her young life, what ifs run through his mind every hour of every day. After all, he’d been the one driving.

What the town wants to know, however, is why it took Grant a shocking twenty-seven minutes to call for help that tragic rainy night. Ever since, curious rumors and mean-spirited gossip have been whispered into ears and repeated by drunks. Was there more to the story than what Grant said occurred? It’s possible, of course, given that the only reason there was no real investigation was because of Becca. In the wrong place at the wrong time, she was in the backseat of the truck when it happened.

Little does anyone know, however, but someone else who knows what really happened is finally back in town. And the memorial service planned for the tenth anniversary of Phoebe’s death will be the perfect opportunity to settle the score. With a town full of questions and plenty of sorrow, delusion, and remorse swirling in the air, the four people at the center of the event come together to finally hash out the truth. Will the past at long last be set free? Or can those desperate to protect their lies manage to maintain their secretive web?

I am quite literally stunned into silence after finishing Twenty-Seven Minutes. A poignant tale of reverberating loss, deep grief, and unending regret, it also rang throughout with heaps of foreboding. At the same time, however, this was no psychological thriller. Despite a truly shocking twist at the end, this book was instead a superbly drawn drama. And while I thoroughly enjoyed the ride, I wish I’d known ahead of time so that I could’ve adjusted my expectations.

From the get-go, the characters were immaculately described with *chef’s kiss* prose as they led the plot in their search for the truth. Devastated by the events of one night a decade ago, the multiple distinct voices demonstrated personas that showed the various ways a character can be unreliable. Believe me when I say, I didn’t know who to believe and what facts to trust. All of which created a storyline filled to the brim with emotion.

Speaking of that plot, told via multiple POVs in dual timelines, it drew a startlingly clear picture of what could’ve happened that heartbreaking night while also leading me by the nose with multiple red herrings. Just the same, I do have to admit that I figured out the big, huge, whopping twist well ahead of the reveal. After all, the scattered clues provided just enough of a hint that I was able to put the puzzle pieces together.

At the same time, this was most definitely not a thriller or even a very intense novel of suspense. The biggest strengths were down to the well-drawn grief and sorrow expressed within these stunning pages. Don’t get me wrong, there was plenty of dread alongside a bit of impending doom, but even put together the two didn’t add up to a very strong whatdunnit in the end. No, this was instead a beautiful trip into dramatic fiction that held a literary edge.

All in all, this raw exploration of what trauma and secrets can do to a person created a bewitching picture of suffocating sadness. Complete with fully fleshed out individuals who had thick backstories including a town rife with gossip so real that it felt like a character itself, I was utterly captivated. Still, don’t go into this one looking for a thriller, as no matter how hard you search, it’s simply not there. Rating of 4 stars.

Ultimately this book just didn’t really work for me. It was a bit anticlimactic, and I didn’t feel the characters were fully fleshed out. Maybe skip this one.

I received an ARC from NetGalley. This is my honest review.

I received this ebook as an ARC thanks to NetGally. I was interested in this after reading the synopsis, and the cover caught my attention. I attempted to read it on and off and I just struggled to continue reading. I DNF’d this book after the first few chapters.

I'm a fan of thriller and suspense fiction. I love a great who-done-it and love a surprising ending. Although I liked this debut from Ashley Tate, I did find it a little hard to get into the story. It starts by recounting the tragic story of the town's bright star, Phoebe Dean, perishing in a car accident. The timeline then jumps back and forth between present and 10 years ago, when the accident occurred, and you begin to learn that there is always more to the story, and maybe a simple accident wasn't so simple. I don't usually have trouble skipping between persons and/or timelines, but sometimes I felt this was difficult to follow. I felt that it was a good debut and would be interested to read more from Ashley Tate. Thanks so much to Ashley Tate, the publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this e-arc!

hank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to listen to an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Twenty-Seven Minutes by Ashley Tate will be released on January 30th, 2024.


I had such high hopes for this book and I could not wait to start it when I was finally approved. This story was so long and drawn out and it felt like the plot went in circles the entire time. The characters were dull and that ending? I hate rating books low, but this one was just….it wasn’t the book I was hoping for it to be.

I won’t lie it took my a little bit to get into the story but overall I had a great time reading it.

I really wanted to like this book...I really did. It was very slow to start and felt repetivive but I kept going thinking that the twists at the end woud be worth it. And while I did enjoy the ending it just couldn't make up for everything else.

"Twenty-Seven Minutes: A Novel" by Ashley Tate is a captivating exploration of time, relationships, and the impact of life-altering decisions. The book stands out for its unique narrative structure and thought-provoking examination of the consequences of a single, pivotal moment.

One commendable aspect of the novel is Ashley Tate's skillful handling of the concept of time. The use of twenty-seven minutes as a central theme adds a layer of intrigue, creating a sense of urgency and anticipation throughout the story. The author weaves together timelines and perspectives, offering readers a multi-faceted view of the characters and their interconnected lives.

Tate's writing style is evocative and immersive, drawing readers into the emotional depth of the characters and their experiences. The novel's structure, with its shifting timelines and perspectives, adds a dynamic quality, keeping the narrative engaging. The exploration of relationships and the ripple effects of decisions is both poignant and thought-provoking.

However, some readers may find the non-linear structure challenging to follow, and it might require careful attention to piece together the timeline of events. While the complexity adds depth to the storytelling, a more straightforward narrative could potentially make the novel more accessible to a broader audience.

In conclusion, "Twenty-Seven Minutes" is a compelling novel that delves into the intricacies of time and human connections. Ashley Tate's innovative narrative approach and rich character development make the book a thought-provoking read for those seeking a unique exploration of life-altering moments. While the non-linear structure may pose a challenge for some readers, the novel's thematic depth and emotional resonance contribute to its overall impact as a compelling literary work.

This book starts off with Pheobe Dean dying in the road after a car accident. There are suspicious events surrounding the accident and death which have you questioning what really happened. It switches than to 10 years later and follows several people from town and how their lives have been impacted by her death. Throughout the book you get flashbacks from that night in time chunks helping you to uncover exactly what happened. Pretty early in the book I had the what, where, and why figured out. The who was throwing me though. My initial instinct on this turned out to be correct in the end, it was just a matter of how to piece it together. Although I enjoyed the story of the book, I didn’t like how certain characters were portrayed in the book. I won’t say more than that as to not spoil it if you plan to read it. But that aspect was a bit of a let down for me personally.

You will really want to dig deep into this one and find out why you only have 27 minutes. This was a great book that you will not want to put down! Highly recommend

This book was enjoyable, and it really pulled me in from the beginning: the middle was kind of eh, too much fluff that we just didn’t need. I didn’t like the characters at all, but that happens! Overall a decent read.

I received a free copy from NetGalley. None of the narrators are reliable, which makes me wondering if I should even trust the ending.

Twenty-Seven Minutes was a book that held small-town secrets. Ten years ago, Phoebe Dean was killed in a horrific car accident and her brother Grant was driving. There has been a lot of mystery surrounding the accident. The town has been suspended in grief and unanswered questions about that night.

The story is told in alternating voices of those impacted by the accident. There were also flashbacks of the night the accident happened. I was invested in discovering the real story but this book dragged on and on. The end of the story was anti-climactic for me. There was a letdown after so much build-up. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

Initially this book pulled me in. The first few chapters really had me wanting to know what happened and how each POV was involved. Then the pace began to slow and not one of the four main characters was enjoyable. I found them all to be one dimensional, unrelatable and annoying at times. The premise of the story was great and the writing was good and easy to follow but it just wasn’t for me. The ending was a surprise I didn’t expect but the delivery felt rushed and left me with unanswered questions.
Overall, it was not a bad book, it was just lacking depth and character development for me. The author did well expressing how different people handle grief but I wish I could’ve liked at least one character!
Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the ARC of Twenty Seven Minutes.

📚: Twenty-Seven Minutes by Ashley Tate
⭐️: 3.5/5 (rounding down on #goodreads)

Are you into co-dependent relationships? Unreliable narrators? Gaslighting? Obsessive sibling dynamics? Small town secrets? If so, this book may be for you.

Ashley Tate's debut novel, Twenty-Seven Minutes, starts out with a bang (literally) - and out the gate, I thought we may have a dark horse five-star read on our hands. I was hooked from the prologue and excited to read ahead. Unfortunately, pacing issues started pretty quickly thereafter, bringing this could-be-unputdownable premise to a bit of a lag. The core characters felt somewhat interchangeable, and even with the reveal at the end, questions still linger, leaving larger plot gaps than preferred.

Thanks to @poisonedpenpress via @netgalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. Twenty-Seven Minutes is out later this month on January 30th!

This book started out really strong and hooked me right away but then it just didn't go anywhere for the longest time and I felt like nothing was really happening until the end. The pacing was really off and it slowed down way too much and I found myself just wanting to see how it would end. I didn't care about any of the characters and wasn't expecting so much grief throughout the story. It just wasn't for me.

To start out with I'm giving this 3.5 stars. I'm confused as to round down to 3 or up to 4 tho. The premise of this book was fire; why did it take Grant twenty seven minutes to call for help for his sister Phoebe after an auto accident? What really happened in that time? Could Phoebe have been saved if help had come sooner?
Where my doubt comes from is the execution of this story. It was alot of fluff in the middle. This could've shortened the book by 1/3 and been so much more suspenseful and thrilling! I couldn't stand any of these characters! Luckily I don't have to enjoy the characters to enjoy the story. Unlikable characters can be a real draw for me. I think we were supposed to have liked June and towards to the end I did, but I would have appreciated her role more in the story had I the opportunity to relate to her sooner. So like I said before, great story line, just too slow in the middle.
Decided to round down to 3 stars.

I feel like this book was trying too hard to be suspenseful and surprising. It took me a lot longer than I care to admit to get through.

Thank you to @netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC.

𝐌𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬
Unfortunately I pretty much dnfed this around 250 pages in. I skimmed the last few pages to get a sense of the ending, but it didn’t hold my attention. It’s actually put me in a bit of a reading slump because I found it very hard to finish.

This is a multi POV story of 4 characters which is set 10 years after a horrific road accident where one of the character’s (Grant) sister (Phoebe) died. There is a lot of back and forth in the timeline, flash backs to the days leading up to the accident. But it was just too much of a slow burn for me.

I didn’t like any of the characters, most of them were super annoying and nothing really happened. I kept expecting it to take off and get good, but it didn’t. It was more mystery than thriller. I did read the twist at the end, it was unexpected but not enough to turn it around.

I am not sure I've ever read another book where I disliked so many characters.
As the 10 year anniversary of a tragic accident approaches for the tiny town of West Wilmer, we meet 4 people who are doing their best to cope, in very different ways. We get flashbacks of the terrible night from long ago and 4 different perspectives of what happens now. As we get closer to the truth, it's hard to feel sorry for anyone in the town because only 2 people know what happened that night and one of them is lying. None of the characters have much credibility because they all have various mental conditions and altered states of reality.